How to Choose the Right 3PL in Australia: 10 Questions to Ask Before You Sign

Choosing a 3PL is one of the most important operational decisions you'll make as an eCommerce founder. Get it right and logistics becomes a competitive advantage. Get it wrong and you're managing missed dispatches, lost stock, and frustrated customers.

1. What are your pick and pack accuracy rates?

Best practice is 99.9%+. Ask for data, not a claim.

2. What is your dispatch cut-off time?

Same-day by 3PM is the gold standard.

3. Do you integrate directly with my platform?

Native Shopify or WooCommerce integration is non-negotiable.

4. How is pricing structured?

Get a full breakdown: receiving, storage, pick, pack, dispatch. Ask: are there any fees not listed?

5. Are there lock-in contracts?

Good 3PLs are confident enough not to need them.

6. How do you handle peak periods?

Ask specifically about Christmas and Black Friday capacity.

7. What happens when something goes wrong?

Every 3PL has incidents. How they communicate and resolve them is what matters.

8. Can I visit the warehouse?

If the answer is no, that's a red flag.

9. Who is my day-to-day contact?

A dedicated account manager versus a generic inbox makes a big difference.

10. How long does onboarding take?

A good 3PL should have you live within 5–7 business days.

Flow 3PL answers all of these with confidence. Want to put us to the test? Talk to one of our consultants — no pressure, no lock-in.